Unbekannt - Antiphohonarblatt - 1600

Large original antiphonal leaf on parchment (c. 15th/16th c.) – handwritten manuscript illumination & square notation

Description of object:
For sale is an impressive, hand-written single leaf from a historical antiphonal (liturgical choir book). The leaf impresses with its craftsmanship and the excellent preservation of the colors.
Material: Genuine parchment (animal skin), characteristically wavy with a beautiful natural patina.
Age: Estimated 15th–16th century (Late Middle Ages / Early Modern Period).
Content: Liturgical chants for the feast of Saint John the Baptist. Included are central passages such as “Johannes in deserto” and the birth narrative (“Elisabeth Zacharie magnum virum genuit”).
Script & notation: Black Textura/Rotunda script with red rubrics. The music is written in the classical square notation on four red lines.
Special features:
Written on both sides (recto/verso).
Several hand-painted initials, including a particularly splendid red Lombard initial “E” with fine interlacing and filigree ornament.
Large format (ideal decorative object for collectors).

Condition:
Very good for its age. The parchment is stable, the ink deep black, and the vermilion-red of the lines and initials is vivid and hardly faded. Minimal age-related edge flaws that emphasize authenticity.
Dimensions: 58 x 40 cm